Letter of Support for the Ashland Forest Resiliency Plan

							Council Communication
                Letter of Support for the Ashland Forest Resiliency Plan
Meeting Date:        August 18, 2009                Primary Staff Contact:   Martha Bennett
Department:          Administration                 E-Mail:                  bennettm@ashland.or.us
Secondary Dept.:     Fire and Rescue                Secondary Contact:       John Karns
Approval:            Martha Bennett                 Estimated Time:          5 Minutes

Question:
Should the City Council approve a letter of support to the National Forest Supervisor to encourage a
timely approval of the Ashland Forest Resiliency Plan?

Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the letter voicing support of a timely approval of the Ashland Forest
Resiliency Plan.

Background:
For Ashland Watershed, it's imperative to maintain the critical functions of the watershed (clean water,
recreation, habitat) when disturbance takes place. As analyzed in the Upper Bear Watershed Analysis
and the Ashland Forest Resiliency Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), the Ashland
Watershed is not in a resilient state, especially in the face of a wildfire. The purpose of the Ashland
Forest Resiliency (AFR) project is to protect the City's municipal water supply while restoring fire-
adapted forests in the watershed to a more sustainable and resilient state. The City of Ashland, through
the Ashland Forest Lands Commission, and in cooperation with local environmental stewardship
groups, submitted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) in 2004 to be evaluated as a third
alternative to a watershed proposal put forth by the US Forest Service (one alternative is to do
nothing). The Forest Service completed its evaluation of the three alternatives in 2008 by issuing the
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The chosen "preferred alternative" was influenced
greatly by the community generated alternative in the CWPP. This preferred alternative proposes
thinning of trees and brush on 7,600 acres of land in the watershed over a ten-year period.

The AFR is currently awaiting a Record of Decision (ROD) and is on the Secretary of Agriculture’s
desk. This letter of support will encourage passage of the ROD and implementation of the plan.

Related City Policies:
The Ashland City Council approved the Ashland Forest Resiliency Project Preferred Alternative in
October of 2008.
The Ashland Forest Resiliency Plan addresses two Council goals that were approved in June, 2009,
dealing with water quality and watershed sustainability.

Council Options:
Approve or disapprove the letter as written



                                               Page 1 of 2
Potential Motions:
Motion to approve the letter of support for the AFR to Scott Conroy, Rogue River-Siskiyou National
Forest Supervisor

Attachments:
Letter to Scott Conroy, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Supervisor
AFR Project Preferred Alternative




                                              Page 2 of 2